St. Pete city council will not vote on revised ballpark plan

March 30, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman has decided against asking the City Council to vote on a revised proposal to allow the Rays to search for new ballpark sites on both sides of Tampa Bay.

Council members voted down an initial agreement in December. The mayor feared the adjusted plan would fail, too.

The team has played since its inception in Pinellas County at what now is called Tropicana Field. Kriseman's proposal would allow the Rays to evaluate sites on the east side of the bay in Hillsborough County, where Tampa is located.

It also would establish how much the Rays would have to pay the city if they leave their current home before their lease expires in 2027.

The team issued a statement Monday, with principal owner Stuart Sternberg saying he appreciates the mayor's efforts. The Rays say it is ''disappointing not to be able to move forward cooperatively'' with the city.

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